


My Only Meowrail

by Smokeygirl27 (orphan_account)



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Gen, Meowrails, Petstuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-11
Updated: 2013-02-28
Packaged: 2017-11-20 20:43:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/589440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Smokeygirl27
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A petstuck AU. </p><p>Veterinarian Equius Zahhak bonds with a small olive blooded troll abandoned by a cruel owner. They help each other heal their emotional wounds and ease the pain of the scars.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Frist M33tings

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Unwanted Free Ugly Troll](https://archiveofourown.org/works/477092) by [orphan_account](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account). 
  * Inspired by [Loophole](https://archiveofourown.org/works/527502) by [saccharineSylph](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saccharineSylph/pseuds/saccharineSylph). 



Your name is Equius Zahhak and you have only twenty minutes left on your shift. You work as the local veterinary surgeon and it has been a long day. Looking at you, not many would think you would have the dexterity and delicacy necessary for your job. You do after, all look like you are married to the gym and have been downing steroids like it is water since you were very young.  
  


It does not help that you are related to the main enforcer of a certain CEO's corrupt business dealings. You were raised to believe that being STRONG was the most important thing in life. You had fully intended to follow in your father’s footsteps when you were younger. That was before you realized there was more than one way to be strong.

  


Just as you are reaching for your coat, one of the two ladies who worked under you rushes into your office.

"Dr. Zahhak! Someone has brought in an abandoned troll and she does not look well at all. I dared not move her from the box she was brought in."

You drop your coat on the floor and follow the small woman into one of the exam rooms. Lying on the table was a soggy cardboard box. Inside the box was a small troll with short hair that had a slight wave to it and small candy corn colored horns that looked oddly like a cat’s ears. She was wrapped in a small toga like dress that was stained with different colors, ranging from deep red to cerulean blue.  
She was taking small frequent breaths and her tiny cheeks were flushed an olive hue. She could barely keep her tiny eyes open before she had to close them again to brace for the pain.

"I am going to need to move you out of the box." You tell the small troll. "Let me know if anything hurts."

"I..." She said softly. "I can feel my legs."

You gingerly lift the small troll out of her box. Your assistant removes it and you place the small troll on the table. You run over the options in your head. You are going to have to get X-rays on her spine on ribs.

"Ms. Harley would you get the portable X-ray." You asked your assistant. "Do you have a name?"

"Don’t have one." She wheezed and closed her tiny eyes again.

It stings your heart to see any creature, be it man or troll, in such pain. You quickly administer a sedative to help the poor troll. Your assistant rolls in the machine and you proceed with the X-rays. A few of her ribs were broken, but they would not need to much attention. What worried you was her spine.

Her spinal cords were being pinched by her spinal column. You would be able to save her legs, but her tail would not be so lucky. You were going to have to amputate. It sent a small pang of guilt right through your heart.  
While most trolls could be described as cat-like, olive bloods were more so. While a first the small cleft in their lips were thought of as a defect, it became apparent that it was the norm for their blood color. The breed was especially popular among older women for some reason that was beyond your grasp.

It was going to be a long night and you knew it. This was something that should not and could not be put off. You knew Jade Harley would not leave while an animal was in need, and for that you were thankful. You were going to need help repairing this injured troll and someone to explain to the poor thing why her tail had to be removed, someone with more tact than you possessed.

You did not have time to explain to the small troll what you were going to do. You quickly gave her gas to make her sleep while you worked. You carefully worked on saving her legs. Hours passed as you painstakingly worked on the delicate task. You were utterly exhausted by the time the procedure was over. You were going to need a lot of coffee.

You retreated into your office since it was not worth the effort to return home. You were just going to have to come back right away. You called your trusted family butler to bring you a fresh shirt and decided on resting on the couch you had for such a reason. You have no clue how long you are laying on your couch when the receptionist, Feferi knocks on your door. You begrudgingly open the door.

"Did you spend the night here again?" She asked you concerned.

"Ms. Harley and I had to perform an emergency amputation on a troll last evening." You say. "I did not make it home. I asked Aurthour to bring me a new shirt."

"He delivered it." She said handing you a freshly pressed shirt. "He said he could not stay because he had to deliver something to your father."

  


You shudder to think what your father would need. You take the shirt and thank Feferi. She walks away and you close the door so you can change without causing a small scandal in your mind. You check yourself over in the mirror before you leave your office. It was time to check on your patient.


	2. Stupid Winged Diaper Baby

            You are close to the room where patients who require direct observation are kept. You could already hear the mewling of the young troll and her thrashing around the crate. After the procedure you had had Jade put the young troll in something less filthy. She was now attired in a makeshift shirt held together with safety pins. It was only until you can find something more suitable.

            “LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT!” She screamed and shook the door of the crate.

Jade was trying to sooth the poor girl, but it was not working.

            “You need to rest sweetie.” Jade said. “The cage is only so we can keep you safe.”

            A lie. It was to keep personnel safe until the troll was assessed as harmless. It was the policy of this clinic. You and your staff have no way of knowing if this tiny troll is docile or savage. Olive bloods were one of the castes that could very easily fall on either side of that fence.

            “LET ME OUT!” The troll started to cry, big green tears rolling down her cheeks.

            “What is going on?” You ask in a flat tone.

            The small troll looks at you. Her pupils shift into tiny slits and she hunches her shoulders. You are a threat, a big muscle bound threat, to her safety. The huntress in her blood is telling her to lash out, to strike at anyone who dared get to close. As was her nature. Her tears quickly stop and she backs away from the door and presses herself against the back of her crate, to get as far away from you as possible. She let out a feral hiss you were all too familiar with. Most of the animals under your care tended to be mistrustful of you upon first meeting.

            “She is not taking waking up in the crate well.” Jade informs you. “She also seems to have recovered quite quickly from the sedatives and I don’t really think trying to administer more would be a good idea until she calms down.”

            “WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY TAIL?” The troll hisses at you and bares her fangs.

            “I am sorry.” You say with a hint sadness infused in your tone. “I was unable to save your tail. It was either, I save your tail, or your legs.”

            She hissed at you and crouched down on her hind legs. You wonder how resilient this young troll must be in order to act like she was in no pain. You knew how much broken ribs hurt from past experience.

            “May we please give you some more medication for your pain?” You asked her.

            “I don’t have any.” She said almost to quickly, as if it was a programmed response.

            You stepped closer to her crate. You can see her hair is standing on end, and she was still breathing shallowly.

            “Alright.” You said. “Can you tell us about why you here? Do you know who your previous owner was?”

            “All I know is I was unable to fight anymore.” She hissed. “I couldn’t go up against Vriskers so I was beaten.”

            You put your hands in your pockets so the young troll would not see you clench your fists in anger. Jade struggled to keep her face blank. She was not as skilled as you quite yet. Another troll fighting victim.  She was fortunate enough to survive being a failure. Most, if not all, of those that come to you rarely survive the night. You are going to need to inform the police of this.

            “Can you remember a face?” Jade asked.

            “No.” The young troll snapped.

            “We are going to let you rest for a while.” You say. “We have a few other patients to attend to.”

            “I don’t want to be in here.” The young troll says.

            “It is only until your wound heals up.” You say with a small smile. “Could you do me a favor and just take a few deep breaths every once in a while. It will help with your ribs.”           

            She looks at you alarmed.

            “We took and X-ray.” You explain. “I could see you have fractured a few ribs. Deep breaths will help keep you from getting sick while you heal.”

            You turn to walk away and let the troll rest. You have appointments to attend to. Around your lunch break Jade, who has had more opportunity to check on the little troll, informs you that you have been given a nickname.

            “She has been referring to you as big stupid head.” Jade giggled as she was straightening a stack of papers.

            “Why do you find this amusing?” You ask her.

            “Because, she says it with all the gusto of a five year old. It is the cutest thing I have ever seen. You just want to give her a big hug.” She says wrinkling her nose.

            “How is she doing?” You ask.

            “She keeps asking for you.” Jade says with a sly smile. “I think she realized that big and scary looking Zahhak is just a teddy bear under the surface.”

            “How so?”

            “She has had time to reflect.” Jade offers with a shrug.

            You decide to forgo lunch today; it is not like you are really hungry anyway. You walk into the room the small troll is supposed to be resting in and pull up a chair. She is not resting like she should be.

            “Are you going to let me out now?” She asked. “I am purrfectly fine.”

            “I would like to keep you under observation for a while longer.” You inform her. “Just to make sure.”

            She huffs at you, folding her tiny arms in disapproval. You can see why Jade was taking a liking to this young lady.

            You are tempted to let her out of the crate. Tempted, but you know better. She might try to run away at the first chance she received, long before any of her injures healed. Or she might do something far worse, like attempt to harm on of the staff.

            “I hear you have given me a nickname.” You say.

            “It’s not a nickname.” She informs you.

            “I do not think my family would approve of this new moniker you have laid upon me.”

            She stared at you blankly. You fold your hands and chuckle.

            “What the fuck did you just say?” She asks you.

            You lean foreword and stare her down.

            “I do not approve of such foal language.”

            She pales and hunches down again. Her tiny pointed ears flopped down against her face.

            “Sorry.” She whimpers.

            “Just see that you do not say it again.” You said reassuringly.

            “No one has evfur cared about my swearing befur.” She says softly.

            “Well, they were clearly uncivilized.” You say leaning back in your chair.

            She was clearly very eager to please. How had they hurt her to make her so desperate for approval? You can only wonder.

            “How long do I have to stay in here?” She asks.

            “Until your injuries heal.”

            “How long will that take?”

            “Only a little while.” You say. “ You will have to wait until your spine heals. By the way, how do your legs feel?”

            “Ok.” She says looking down. “I wanna run.”

            “Do you like running?”

            “It is the best.” She says lighting up. “I loved it when they let us all into this little pen when I was a wriggler. I would pounce on all my furends!”

            Her smile is large and infectious. You can make out her two sharp fangs poking from under her lips as she talks and smiles at you.

            “I loved to play make believe games with them.” She continues. “Not evfury one wanted to play with me so I had to play alone a lot of the time.”

            She stops and looks at you with deep sadness.

            “Most of my furends did not make it though their first fights.” She said softly. “They were used mostly as bait to make the other trolls more angry. I miss them.”

            You want to hug this little troll so badly, to make all her pain go away. You resist the urge as she looks up at you with her large catlike eyes. She gave you a small smile.

            “I should not dwell on the bad should I?” She said lacing her fingers around the metal gate that separated you both. “I should try and stay positive.

            And with that a stupid winged baby in a diaper has stabbed you in the chest with a dull arrow. You had never wanted to adopt someone so badly in all of your life. Even that time you and your older brother tried to convince your father to let you keep a lame horse. Once the little girl was healed you would see about formally adopting her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am working on chapter three and four right now... and so far it looks as if 3 is going to be long to say the least. You have been warned.


	3. Homeward Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is so long.... I'M SORRY 0A0

            In the following weeks the Authorities had questioned the tiny troll. A case was not made since it was only the word of a toll they had to go on, and she was not really chatty around strangers on the subject. As much as it infuriated you, you were more concerned about getting her back to health. You were thankful that any claims on her by whoever had owned her were now null and void on account of the injuries she sustained.

            You had ruled that it was all right for her to walk around the lobby under the watchful eye of Feferi. She was not allowed to tear round the lobby like the first time she was allowed free. She had her occasional slip ups but for the most part she behaved. It was almost as if instead of an office cat, you had an office troll.

            Feferi had managed to find, in her opinion, the most darling clothes for the little troll. The young troll was not to keen on the dresses for the most part, as they hindered her mobility and to a huntress, mobility was key. She preferred loose fitting shirts and pants. They allowed the small troll to be more limber and thus climb on top of things within her reach.

            During your lunch break she would perch herself on the arm of the couch and playfully bat at the sleeve of your coat. You had allowed her to use the couch in your office as a bed once the olive blood promised not to run off.

Her using your coat, as a plaything was better than her making fun of the fact you were eating only vegetables. It was in her nature to eat other animals so she could not see the point in only indulging in greens. In your youth you would have tried to inflict vegetarianism on all who past through your life. Just one more of the ways you were an idiot.

You and the staff had started to refer to her as Nepeta, after the catnip that sent her into fits of insane giggles. It warmed your heart. She had taken to you for some reason that sent a strange sort of pride through you. Jade always seemed to get your patients to trust her much quicker than you. But, Nepeta had taken to you before she even let Jade near her, without hesitation. In your spare moments she would curl up on your lap or shoulder and purr like a tiny kitten. She was a very affectionate young troll and you have to admit you like it.

            Although you could do without the biting she was prone to. In a fit of pure joy, she would sink her teeth lovingly into your arm or whatever limp was unfortunate enough to cross her path. Her teeth never got farther than the top layer of skin but it was still unpleasant.

            You wonder how Aurthour would react to the sudden appearance of a troll in your home. He would in all likely hood just ignore her, like he did most things that passed through a Zahhak home. The poor old fellow had learned long ago to keep his eyes and ears closed and just keep the household in order.

            You live in a small house at the edge of your father’s property. It was more than enough room to live alone and far enough away that your father would only pry occasionally into your business.

            “Nepeta, how would you like to come live with me?” You ask her.

            She stops attacking your coat and stares at you with her large yellow eyes.

            “What do you mean?” She asks you tilting her head to the side.

            “I mean, how would you like to stay with me…. forever?”

            She beams at you and leaps from the couch onto your desk and pounces at your head. She manages to wrap her tiny little arms around your neck and squeeze you tightly in her arms.

            “YES!” She shouts into your ear, you didn’t need that one anyway.

            It was settled. You were going to go home with your new troll friend by the end of the week. You wonder if you should invest in a car seat for Nepeta. You do not want her to get under foot while you are driving, and you are certain she would want to see where you were both going.

            You need to make sure you account for her growing body. She is only three sweeps old, so you should prepare for her up coming growth spurt. You decide it is for the best to acquire one.

            Her energy levels spike over the next few hours. She is so full of joy at the idea of leaving the building and seeing where you live, at being in the home of someone who will not hurt her. She crashes before you leave for the day and you have no choice but to tuck her in on the couch.

            Trying to find a car seat proves problematic. All of the patterns do not fit your dear sweet Nepeta’s personality. Nepeta is “a furocious huntress” all of these seats scream “I cannot fathom the idea of protecting myself from the scary bad people.” None of the shop workers dare approach you while you have your scowl firmly rooted on your face.

             You finally settle on a booster seat that will allow her to grow into it over time. You feel like a gosh darned sillyface walking through the store with a large box under your arm. You also choose to obtain a few items that might bring a smile to Nepeta’s face. You had taken note of the fact she loved to scribble on any scrap of paper she could get her little grey hands on. Perhaps purchasing a sketchbook would please her. You also pick up a set of crayons so she will stop wasting your pens.

            You walk to the cash register and pay for your items before the whispering can start. You take your items to your car and stuffed them in the trunk. You were not going to bother with the car seat quite yet. You had other things to attend to. Like setting up a room for Nepeta. You are sure Aurthour would be more than happy to help you set up the room in time for her grand arrival. You are also going to have to make sure she had things to eat. You are pretty sure Crocker Corp Troll Chow© was made from recycled cardboard.

            Your father must not know of Nepeta just yet. He will try and peddle Troll Chow off on you.

            You drive back to your house to start prepping it for the huntress. You are going to need to put a few child safety locks on a few doors, nothing to drastic. You were most assuredly going to require to your workshop to be off limits. There were a lot of items with which she might hurt herself.

            You move through your home picking up items and placing them on shelves you believe Nepeta would not be able to reach. Although you kept it at the back of your mind that she would most likely be an avid climber.

            You spend hours cleaning up. Why is it that you had so much stuff laying around this house? You never realize how much stuff you have until you have to pick it all up. Now you know how poor precious Aurthour feels everyday.

            You were going to have to acquire a bed, or something to use as a base for her pile. You wonder if you would be able to sneak your childhood bed mattress from out of storage without your father noticing. It was not like it was going to be used by children any time soon. Being a Zahhak made one surprisingly sneaky and crafty.

            You are quite skilled with your hands so you spent most of your free time crafting surfaces on which Nepeta could perch in her new room. They were mostly shelves that would be able to support up to one hundred pounds.  As she grew you would put more reinforcement on them. You somehow manage to retrieve the mattress without your eagle-eyed father noticing.

Go you.

             You feel confident that the small troll will enjoy her new home. It is finally the day she gets to return home with you. Your fridge was stocked with fresh food for her and you were almost giddy with anticipation. That is, of course if Zahhak’s achieved giddy. Only one had managed to do so and it was frankly terrifying.

            You make sure that the booster seat is fully set up before you leave for work. For the past week Nepeta had been pestering you to know when she could go home with you. You swear her big eyes were going to be the death of you.

            She was happy to finally be able to leave the tiny building. Once you opened the doors at the end of the day she burst forth into the world. She looked at everything with the wonder of a very young child. Feferi had managed to find a coat that Nepeta did not outright shot down upon first glance. It was the small olive hue as her blood with white faux fur trim that lined the bottom and hood.

            You find it a bit disconcerting, since you have no sense of fashion, especially for a young girl. Nepeta spins around happily as you walk towards your car. You open the passenger side door for her. She pauses and stares at your car confused.

            “Do you need help?” You ask her.

            “I don’t know what I am supposed to do.” She admits shyly.

            “Well.” You say. “You hop in here and sit on this seat and I shall strap you in so you don’t wiggle about while I am driving. That would not be safe.”

            “You purromise we are going to your house?” She asks. “Right away?”

            “Right away.” You promise.

            She cautiously climbs into the car seat and you buckle the lap belt. You close the door and walk around the car to the driver’s side. You make sure you are also secured before you insert the key into the ignition and turn it over.

            During the entire car ride Nepeta is mesmerized by everything you move past. Putting the booster seat in the front was a good idea. Unsafe, but at least she was not asking you millions of questions.

            You pulled up to the gate to the Zahhak property and waited to be buzzed in. Nepeta started to fidget in her seat as she stared at the gates opening.

            “Are you alright?” You ask her as you pull farther into the driveway.

            “It is big.” She says softly.

            You veer to the as the driveway splits in two. Thankfully, living on family estate meant you had only three neighbors. Unfortunately two of them were related to you. Nepeta admires the vastness of the yard. You can almost feel her need to sprint. You hope she can hold out until you reach the house.

            You pull up to the house that had been painted a deep blue. You were surprised to see Aurthour standing in front of the house.

            You greet the families trusted butler with a curt nod of the head then go to attend to Nepeta. The moment she if free from the seat she takes off across the lawn. You have never seen a young lady do so many cartwheels before all of your life. Aurthour watches the young troll girl sprint and jump.

            “Your Father requested your attendance at dinner tonight.” Aurthour informs you. “Shall I ask one of the maids to attend to the little one?”

            Nepeta stopped and looked at you.

            “This is just great.” You mutter.

            “I don’t want to be all alone!” Nepeta announces hurt.

            You look down at her and offer a weak smile.

            “I won’t be gone for more than an hour. Hour and a half tops.” You say. “We will get you settled in your room. Aurthour, perhaps you could send one of the maids down before I leave. So, Nepeta can get to know her.”

            Aurthour nodded curtly and began to walk away. You feel her tiny hand tug at your coat and you look down at her.

            “What is a Father Equius?” She asked you.

            You had forgotten that trolls were bred with a creature known as a mother grub. They had no concept of family that a human could understand.

            “A father is what humans call the male who is responsible for one’s production.”

            “That makes no sense.” She tells you bluntly.

            “I know.” You admit. “I find it hard to explain. Perhaps we can chalk it up to difference in species.”

            “Ok. Can I see my room?” She asks, changing the subject for you.

            “Right this way.” You say as you open the door.

            She walks into the house cautiously. You turn on the light and illuminate the front room. It is neat and orderly like you left it when you left it this morning. She stares at all the horse paintings you had acquired over the years. You close the door and remove your coat.

            “Nepeta, may I help you out of your coat?” You ask her.

            She allows you to remove her coat, and watches you put both coats on the coat rack. She wraps a hand around a fistful of fabric on your pants.

            “Do you really have to leave tonight?” She asks you.

            You kneel down before her so you can look her in the eyes.

            “It is unfortunately timed, but I promise I am not going to be gone for more than a few hours.”

            “But,” She starts.

            “Let’s get you settled in your room.” You say, trying to take her mind off the subject.

            You take her small hand and lead her to her room. You have to lean over to the side just to be able to hold onto the tips of her fingers. While you would have to lean over just to hold the hand of any troll, Nepeta was, in fact on the short side. This makes the entire process even more comical. Why did you have to be so tall anyway? You are like a tree compared to most men. You really should have just picked her up and carried her on your shoulders. It is to late now. Nice going idiot.

            You pause in front of a door and look down at the small troll.

            “This is the only room I do not want you to enter.” You tell her. “This is my work shop. There are instruments within that might hurt you if they fall.”

            “Ok.” Nepeta says furrowing her brows with determination. “I purromise.”

 

You continue down the hall until you reach a white door. You open it foir her. She seems stunned for a moment before she runs over to the window to look out at the yard. She spins around her room taking everything in. You watch her wander over to one of the lower shelves. She tests it out by pulling on it, just to make sure it could support her, before her climbs on top of it and sits. She stares at you with her big eyes and smiles.

“How did you get all this in here?” She asks, referring to the shelves.

“I am quite handy.” You say with pride. “If I had not become a Veterinarian I might have gone into something in which I could use my hands.”

She laughs and you get an unfamiliar feeling in your chest. Your family is not one for theatrical displays of affection, or rather; you don’t deal with it well. But, with Nepeta it seems almost second nature to want to shower affection. Even if to the outside it was only a simple gesture.

Hours pass as you help her settle into her new home. You both mostly color and as much as it pains you to admit it is enjoyable. You manage to find a moment to change your shirt without her noticing. You are on your way back to her room when you hear a knock on the front door.

You walk down the stairs to see which one of the maids Aurthour sent to watch your charge. You open the door and look down at the young woman.

Of all of the maids under your father’s employment why did Aurthour have to send _HER_?


	4. Can One Divorce Their Family?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long DX It kicked my sorry butt

            Aradia Megido had been working as a maid in your father’s estate since she was seventeen. Her family life had not been all that great and she took the job as a live in maid as quickly as it had been posted. You have to admit that you may or may not have feelings for this woman.

            Unfortunately, you both met while you were still in the middle of your high and mighty faze of your life. She, understandably, was not amused. Your past stupidity damaged any chance of you starting a relationship with her.

            “Evening Ms. Megido.” You say, trying to hide your nervousness.

            “I hear you adopted a little girl.” She says plainly.

            “Ah, actually I adopted a troll.” You say looking over your shoulder.

            Nepeta is nowhere in sight. You had expected as much. Trust is not something Nepeta gave freely.

            “She appears to be hiding at the moment.” You say. “Please come in. She might take a while to come out of hiding.”

            Aradia enters your home, she has no need to look around, or a desire to. She is suspicious of you. Perhaps rightly so given how you once acted. You both stand in awkward scilence for a few moments before you look away.

            “I shall go find her.” You say. “She is quite shy.”

            You don’t have to wonder far.

            “Who is she?” Nepeta hissed from under a table.

            “This is Ms. Megido. She is going to be keeping an eye on you while I am out.”

            Aradia waves and smiles at Nepeta. Nepeta backs away farther under the table.

            “I don’t want you to go.” She says.

            “I know. But I have to go.” You tell her. “My father is not one to take no for an answer.”

            Nepeta pouted.

            “I promise that Ms. Megido is not going to hurt you.” You assure her.

            “What if you never come back?” She asks you.

            She tries to say it flatly but you can hear the tiny warble in her voice that denotes genuine concern.

            You kneel down so you can see you and give her a weak smile and reach out your hand. You extend your pinkie.

            “Do you know what humans do when they make a promise they will not break?” You ask her rhetorically. “We wrap pinkies and shake on it. This is an unbreakable vow. If someone were to break it the consequences would be dire. I promise I will come back after dinner. If I do not return before dawn, you may hunt me down and kick my butt.”

            She hesitates, before she takes your finger in her own. You smile at her reassuringly.

            “Now, will you come out and properly say hello to Ms. Megido?” You ask her.

            “I suppose.” She says and crawls towards you.

            You scoop her up in your arms and carry her closer to Aradia. Nepeta eyes Aradia cautiously and clings to your shirt.

            “Hello.” Aradia says with a smile, that smile that had gotten you when you first met. “I am Aradia, what is your name?”

            Nepeta buries her face in your chest and mumbles her name. Aradia laughs softly. Nepeta buries her face farther into your chest. Her horns start to dig into your skin. You wince only slightly.

            “Is there anything you would like to do while we wait for him to come back?” Aradia asks.

            “No.” Nepeta mutters.

            “Why don’t you both color?” You ask the tiny troll. “You can even draw on the walls in your room.

            Nepeta perks up and stares at you.

            “Really?” She asks with large eyes.

            “Yes.” You say. “Although you must contain it to your room and no where else. You promise?”

            She offers you her pinkie. It’s a deal.

            You leave fifteen minutes later. You walk the ten minutes to your fathers rather massive home. No need to waste gas on a two second drive up the driveway. Authour lets you in after only a single knock. You were expected after all. You greet him with your usual nod and slip past him. You walk down the hall, you could navagate this entire building with your eyes closed.

Your older brother practically mauls you as you walk though the door.

            “EQY!” He squeals in delight. “It is sooooo good to see you!”

            “Horuss, we spoke the other day.” You say exasperated. “You were trying to schedule an appointment for me to look at your new cat.”

            “No silly.” He says with too much cheer for your comfort. “I said she was cat like.”

            “Uh huh.”

            “I swear Eqy you never listen to me.” He says with a pout. “I told you Rufioh and I wanted you to give our little Meulin a check up. Our old vet was just dreadful.”

            “I see.” You lie; you just want to get home as fast as possible.

            “So will you give her a check up Eqy?”

            “If you schedule one though my office then yes.”

            Your brother proceeds to give you the most awkward hug you have ever had. He only separates from you when your father clears his throat.

            “Equius.” He says in his low growl. “Why are you not wearing a tie?”

            “It is… currently preoccupied at the moment.” You lie; you forgot to put one on.

            Your father gives you a look that would make a weaker man wilt. You stand firm.  He was always one to judge the appearance of his sons and those below his station. He demanded perfection from his family.

            To say that your becoming a veterinarian disappointed him was an understatement.  He had already lost one son to flamboyance and then his only remaining son wanted to take care of beasts of burden.

            If you had become a doctor it would have brought him less shame. But, you could care less what he wants. You never felt better when you were in the presence of a creature that was incapable of lies. You had to grow up trying to decipher truth from fact and it took its toll on you.

             Your father was lucky that Horuss was even wearing a simple shirt and trousers. He was subscribed to the culture of steam punk. Anyone was lucky if they saw him without that ridiculous headpiece.

            Both of you were spectacular failures in his eyes. Lucky you.

            You were seated at the table without a word. as was the custom of the house. You sit in silence as you wait for dinner to be served. The sooner you eat the faster you can get back to the safety of your own house.

            The silence was even more tense than it normally was. Your w\father knew something you did not want him to and he was preparing to annihilate you with his knowledge. You prepare your own counter strike, which was not going to be easy. Both you and Horuss were not in the habit of reveling all of your cards \\. You both held secrets from each other and your father. It was practically a Zahhak family tradition.

            “Is their anything you would like to share with me Equius?” He asked you as you reached for a roll.

            “No.” You say; you are doomed.

            “Are you sure?” He asks you coldly. “Why were you dragging that mattress to your house then?”

            Oh goodie goodie gumdrops he saw you. You thought you had gotten away with it too. Your mind scrambles for an answer that will not make you sound like a creeper.

            “Why is there a car seat in your car?”

            Horuss stares at you across the table. His expression was stuck in between concern and disgust. He was thinking the worst. That hurt you, but only slightly.

            “I recently adopted a…”

            “YOU ADOPTED A CHILD! OH MY GOODNESS, HOW OLD ARE THEY? WHERE DID YOU ADOPT THEM FROM? HOW OLD ARE THEY? IS IT A BOY OR A GIRL? OH MY GOODNESS, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO MEET THEM?”

            Your father rolls his eyes and rubs the bridge of his nose letting out a sigh of defeat. You can only sit there stunned as your brother gushes at you. You are unsure of what the heck is going on.

            “HORUSS!” Your father bellows. “Let Equius explain himself.”

            “troll…” You finally finish your sentence. “I adopted a troll. She is currently at the house, possibly hiding. And I do not require troll chow. I am attempting an all natural diet for her.”

            “SHE AND MEULIN CAN HAVE PLAY DATES OMG!”

            “Did you just actually say… O.M.G.?” You ask. “I don’t think she will be ready for meeting another troll. She came from… She is just rather, shy.”

            “You are saying you have brought a dangerous troll within this estate?” Your father asks darkly.

            “She is not dangerous.” You snap. “Well, she would not hurt anyone unless alarmed.”

            “Equius I am disappointed in you.” He says.

            “Since when haven’t I?” You mutter as you stand up.

            You turn to leave. You are normally fine with your father judging you poorly, but you cannot stand the idea of someone thinking your Nepeta would hurt someone. You know it is possible, but you like to think she would show restraint.

            “EQUIUS!” your father barks and you pause. “You will not storm off like a child!”

            “I am merely removing my unworthy self from your presence.” You say. “Good night father. Horuss, I will see to Meulin as soon as I can.”

            You leave for the night without another word to your broken family. You walk to your home and take note that the only light on in your home is on the lower floor and it is very dim. You pick up your pace.

             When you enter your home Aradia is sitting on your couch flipping through a spiral bound book and smiling at the pages. Your house does not look like it has suffered any damage from a rampaging Nepeta. You are relived. Aradia looks up at you with her deep brown eyes. They look almost black in the dim light.

            “The poor girl ran herself ragged with worry.” Aradia informs you before you can ask where your girl went. “I managed to get her to her pile before she collapsed. Also, you might want to invest in more sketch books.”

            “Oh?” You ask the small woman.

            “Yes. She filled up her old one.” She says offering you the book.

            You take it carefully and look at one of the pages. Nepeta had drawn a picture of two stick figures holding hands and smiling. One was drawn all in blue and filled most of the page with their height and the other was a yellow green and smaller with two candy corn horns. It was of both of you. You could not help but smile.

            You flip through more pages and your heart shatters. She drew other horned figures. These ones were not all intact. Some were missing pieces from them. One colored in brown was missing his legs. This worried you more than a little. Your smile is gone.

            “Is something the matter?” Aradia asks/

            You close the book and look at her.

            “Just…. The fact that she has some things she will… She and I will need to deal with in the future.” You say. “Thank you for watching her.”

            “You are welcome.” She says smiling at you. “If you need a troll sitter again feel free to call me. She is a sweetheart.”

            Aradia waves as she turns to leave. You escort her to the door and wave back. As you close the door you cannot help but remember the stupidity of your youth. You press your forehead against the front door and bask in the memories of the dumb. You know you screwed up any chance of being in a relationship with Aradia Megido and it would always kill you a little each time you remembered.

            You lean against the door for about five minutes before you need to go check on your girl. You unbutton the top button of your collar as you walk up the stairs. You walk down the dark hallway until you reach the door of Nepeta’s room. The door is open and you can peer inside.

Nepeta is curled up on top of the blankets, still wearing the dress Feferi had found for her. She had balled them up and stacked them until they formed a pyramid, on which she had perched herself. You wish you knew where you put that dreaded camera. This would be a perfect photo opportunity. You almost cannot handle the cute. It is overwhelming, and fills your heart with warmth you had not felt in a long while. She was your family now. You smile again.


	5. Resisting The Urge To Punch Someone Is Hard

            After checking on Nepeta you turn to go to bed yourself. You decide to forgo a shower and just pull on a worn tee shirt and checkered flannel pants. You let your Fabian long black hair out of it’s ponytail and lay down in your bed. You proceed to toss and turn like you normally did as you tried to will yourself to sleep.

            You manage to drift into a light sleep. It does not last long. There is a soft knock on your bedroom door. You feel your stomach drop as you try to place who could be knocking. It takes only a few split moments to realize who it could only be. You pad over to the door and open it. Nepeta is staring down at her feet and holding the hem of her dress in her tiny grey hands. She fidgets nervously.

            “Is something the matter Nepeta?” You ask her concerned.

            “I…” She started. “I….. I was worried.”

            “Worried?” You said getting down on one knee. “Why?”

            “None of the lights were on and Ms. Aradia was gone so… So…” Large sage green tears started rolling down her cheeks.

            She wiped the tears away with her forearm and sniffled. You hesitate, before you hug her. She clings to you as she sobs and shakes. You pick her up and carry her to your bed.

            You can tell that the emotional scars of this young troll ran deeper than you thought. She cannot bare the idea of being alone. Looks like the booster seat is going to be a permanent fixture of your car from now on. You cannot possibly leave her alone while you go off to work. You feel a small shred of thankfulness that you are a vet.

            You and Nepeta cuddle on the bed. Her face is pressed into your chest as you gently stroke her back to sooth her. She seems to have calm down and starts drifting into sleep. You stay awake and continue to pet her even after she is asleep, until you cannot keep your eyes open.

            As the sun peeks through your curtains you are made aware of a pain in your chest. It is not the pain of a medical nature, but the pain of two dull horns digging into your skin. Nepeta is curled against you in a deep sleep. You dare not move her. Her fingers are curled around the fabric of your shirt. You are trapped in your bed. It is a good thing it is your day off. You lay in bed and try to drift back to sleep, but the horns in your chest aren’t having it.

            You have no choice but to wake her. This is going to end well. You gently nudge her.

            “Nepeta you need to wake up.” You say softly.

            She grumbles and buries her head deeper into your chest. You gasp sending her into panic mode. Her eyes snap open and she lets out a hiss as she pushes herself away from you and off the bed. She lands on all fours and stares at you in alarm. Her pupils are only narrow slits, making her seem all the more like a cat.

            She registers you and leans back on her haunches. She looks down at the floor and folds her hands in her lap.

            “Sorry.”

           

            “It’s my fault.” You sit up and motion for her to jump back on the bed. “I scared you. I did not mean to, but your horns were digging into my chest.”

            She looks up only briefly before looking back at your royal blue carpet in shame.

            “Nepeta, there is no need for shame.” You inform her. “I am not mad at you.”

            It is funny cause you think she is going to believe you. You stare at your new family member wallowing in self-induced shame for a moment before you attempt to distract her.

            “Why don’t we go make breakfast?” You ask her. “Have you ever tried bacon?”

            “Bacon?” She asks, her head snapping up to stare at you with wonder.

            “Yes.”

            “The nectar of the gods?” She asks.

            You cannot help but chuckle at her delight. You nod with a wide smile. She bounces to her feet and races for the door. You follow her into the kitchen.

            “Sit at the counter and I will get breakfast ready.” You say lifting her off the ground and placing her in a chair.

            Her nose barely reaches the countertop. You are going to need phone books. Lots of phone books. She watches you from her seat as you start your gas stove. You heat the pan and place bacon carefully into the heat. Nepeta’s eyes widen as the meat sizzles.

            You have no idea how bacon is supposed to be cooked. It is a good thing Trolls can eat raw meat so if you do not do it properly she won’t sick. You reach for a plate from the cabinets above the counter next to you.

            You move the greasy meat onto the plate and turn to look at Nepeta. She blinks at you. You place the plate in front of her and turn to wipe away the grease in your pan. You place the pan in the sink and reach for a bowl when your doorbell sounds.

            “I will be right back.” You tell your little troll. “Behave.”

            “Ok.” She says, nibbling on a strip of bacon.

            You smile at the fact she is easily pleased.  You turn to go murder who ever dares interferer with your bonding time.

            Your brother is standing in your doorway with a small troll sitting on his shoulders. You stare at the smiling troll with quiet confusion. She looks like Nepeta, but with longer hair and her blood colored eyes hinting at her more adult age.

            “Eqy, I thought it might be a good idea to bring Meulin by and help you socialize your little troll.” Your brother says cheerfully.

            You fight the urge to strangle your brother.

            “Horuss.” You say darkly, as the older troll slips from your brother’s shoulders and raced into your house.

            “HEY WAIT!” You shout.

            “She can’t hear you.” Horuss informs you. “He is deaf.”

            “MOG!” The other troll squeals in the other room. “YOU ARE SO PRECIOUS!”

            You hear Nepeta hiss and a loud crash. You may now kiss that plate good bye. You run into the kitchen to come to stop Nepeta from killing your brother’s troll. Nepeta is crouching on the counter as Meulin rambles on about how cute she is.

            “Oh my,” Horuss says. “They look so alike.”

            You are so fortunate to have an older brother who is a dunder head.

            “HORUSS!” You bark. “Nepeta is clearly not happy.”

            “EQUIUS WHO ARE THEY!” Nepeta growls at you.

            “An Idiot and his troll.” You tell her.

            “That isn’t very nice Eqy!” Horuss pouts.

            “I COULD JUST EAT YOU UUUUP!” Meulin squealed. “MOOOOOG!”

            “What the fu…. Fudge is a mog?” You growl at Horuss.

            “Oh she really means _OMG_.” Horuss says waving it off.

            Nepeta turns and tries to jump on top of the refrigerator. You move to stop her.

            “WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR TAIL!” Meulin gasps.

            Nepeta hesitates and so do you. Meulin starts purring softly and opens her arms in a welcoming gesture. To your utter surprise and confusion, Nepeta starts crying and jumps into the other troll’s arms. Meulin nuzzles Nepeta as the little one sobs. You are left to struggle through the dark cloud of confusion.

            “Olive Bloods, although not the most nurturing, tend to be rather calm and agreeable with others. They can be deadly when needed, but generally even tempered.” Horuss said with a huge smile. “I figured Meulin could be helpful.”

            “Horuss, while I appreciate your desire to help, this could have gone horribly wrong.” You inform your brother through gritted teeth.

            “Ah, but it didn’t.”

            You clench your fists and imagine your brother’s throat between your fingers.

            “Meulin is handling things in here… Why don’t we talk in the other room?”

            Yes, the perfect opportunity to strangle your brother without alarming your precious Nepeta. You follow him into the other room and mentally prepare a cutting retort.

            “I want the truth Equius.” Horuss said dropping his cheerful facade.

            You could not see his eyes through his dark lenses but you can tell the mood has shifted dramatically.

            “Truth?” You ask him dryly.

            “How did you acquire your troll Equius?” He growled.

            “She was practically dumped on the doorstep of my clinic.” You say. “I patched her up and took a shining to her.”

            “A shining….” Your brother says with odd suspicion.

            “What are you implying?”

            “Nothing.”

            “Horuss…”

            “It is odd that you just adopted her all of a sudden.” He says.

            “I was planning on adopting her for about a month.” You say with narrowed eyes. “Just because I did not inform you or father of my intentions does not mean anything. I care about Nepeta deeply and I am offended you think otherwise.”

            “Equius, you do know that more and more troll fighting rings are popping up in the media.” He says, his voice softening. “I just want to make sure you haven’t gotten any idea in your silly little head.”

            “I am so glad you think so highly of me.” You growl and turn to go back into your kitchen.

            You don’t feel like looking at your brother right now. You would much rather make sure a fight doesn’t break out in your kitchen. Emotional trolls can be the most dangerous.


	6. It is Offical

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry this took me so long... I had a brain fart.... I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner.... maybe.... I hope... Please don't kill me.

            Nepeta and Meulin are sitting on the tiles of your floor. Nepeta is still crying into Meulin’s tasteful olive green sweater vest. Meulin is rocking her back and forth on her lap and humming. Nepeta was clinging to the other troll girl. You wonder if they had a common ancestor due to their similar horns and blood color. It is very hard to tell with trolls.

            The odds of finding two trolls with similar DNA are one in thirty million due to the process of troll reproduction.  It surprises you that you and your brother managed to find two who looked so similar out of pure random chance.

            “It is ok.” Meulin coos loudly and purrs.

            You are unsure of what to do. You are over run with a strong need to make Nepeta feel better. You have no choice but to sit on the floor near both olive bloods. It is the most awkward experience you have ever been a part of.

            Meulin starts to shoosh pap Nepeta. Nepeta responds by drifting into a deep sleep. She was so emotionally drained it was her only option. Meulin looks up at you and smiles.

            “She such a sweetie pie.” Meulin gushes. “Can I come by and play more often?”

            “I suppose.” You say.

            “You want to hold her?” Meulin asks.

            You hesitate before nodding. Meulin lifts Nepeta up gingerly and slips the smaller troll into your arms. Nepeta is light, even by troll standards.

            “I have to go now.” Meulin says with a smile. “Horuss is calling me.”

            She pads out of the room and you are left alone with your sleeping charge. You hear the front door open and close and you begin to wonder what you should do now. You might as well go back to bed and read while Nepeta naps. You dare not leave her alone after her break down.

            You rise to your feet and carry her back into your room. You place her on the mattress and pull the covers over her tiny body. You smile a little at the thought of how utterly sweet she looks while sleeping.

            You move to the other side of the bed and sit down. Your laptop is right where you left it, on the nightstand. You lift the lid and start up your web browser. It is apparent you are going to need to seek help from another. You are not equipped to deal with deep and horrifying emotional trauma. You cannot deal with your own without needed the company of a bottle of some type of strong drink, how would you manage to deal with someone else’s?

            Nepeta fidgets in her sleep. Her tiny paws move as if she is running from something. She huffs and growls at an unseen enemy in her dreams. It would be cute if it did not break your heart a little at the idea of, what she might be dreaming about.

            You reach out to stroke her messy hair, but hesitate. You do not really want to risk waking her. She deserves to have the ability to sleep peacefully.

            You begin to do research on psychiatrists. You cannot be the only one crazy enough to try and get a troll into therapy. None of the reputable sources seem willing to attempt such a feet. You grumble.

            You spend god knows how long searching all across the web for someone who would be willing to help you and your troll. The farther you go the sketchier the people you find. This is disconcerting. You give up for the day as Nepeta stirs. She lifts her head from off the pillow and stares at you as she blinks the sleep from her eyes.

            “Hello.” You say.

            “How long have I been napping?” She asked.

            “Only a few hours.” You say. “We should think about changing you out of your dress. You have been wearing it for almost two days.”

            “I don’t wanna get up.” She pouts.

            “You can rest for a little while longer, but you need to change by this evening.”

            “Fine.” She grumbles and plops her head down on the pillow again.

            “So, you like Meulin?” You ask.

            “Is that the name of that pretty troll?” She asks.

            “Yes.”           

            “She is nice.” She says. “But I like you better.”

            “I like you better too.” You smile.

            She smiled sweetly then buries her face in the pillow.

            “Are you alright?” You ask.

            “Yes.” She mumbles into the pillow.

            “As long as you are sure.”

            “What are you looking at?” she says through the pillow.

            “Someone who would be willing to talk to you about your past trauma… and maybe help me as well…”

            She turns her head and looks at you with her large eyes.

            “What do you mean?”

            “I am not qualified to help you cope with your darker feelings Nepeta.” You explain. “I also have some…. Bad things I should start dealing with myself. You have motivated me to become a better man.”

            You can see a hint of green in her cheeks as she turns back into the pillow.

            “You are embarrassing me.” She says through the pillow.

            “I’m sorry?”

            “STOP TRYING TO PALE FLIRT WITH ME!”

            “W-what?” you ask starting to sweat a little. “Pale flirt?”

            She looks up at you again.

            “Don’t you know…. A…. About the quadrants?” She asks.

            “Quadrants?”

            “Stay here.” She said slipping off the bed and scampering out of your room.

            She returns a few minutes later with her sketchbook and crayons. She climbs back on your bed and opens the book to a blank page and starts drawing you a chart. She uses her red, pink, grey, and black crayons to draw you the four different card suits in a different color each.

            “There are four romantic quadrants trolls have…” She starts to explain. “Two for making grubs and two for keeping peace. The grub ones are Kismesissitude and Matespritship…. One is when you are black for them and the other red… The other ones are Auspisticism and Moirallegiance….. Auspisticism is when you keep others from going into black rom…. Moirallegiance is when you… you are soul mates… you keep each other in line… Help each other….”

She paused and looked down at her drawing.

“Are you saying, we are Moirails?” You ask her.

“I dunno…” She says.

“Would you like to be?” You ask.

She perks up and stares at you.

“You mean it?” She asked.

“Yes.”

She jumps on you and wraps her arms around your next. You hug her back. You have no idea what being a moirail entails but you are sure that it can’t be too bad.


	7. Bath Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LET THE FLUFF CONTINUE!!!!
> 
> For now.... >=3

You have to give Nepeta a bath. It is not going to go over well you can just tell. You start by filling the tub with hot water and suds. You pray that the bubbles will lure her into the water. Hopefully by the time you catch Nepeta the water will have cooled enough for her. You collect a change of clothes for her from the bags Feferi had given you and a cup. Nepeta was still on your bed coloring. She suspected nothing.

“Nepeta.” You say calmly standing over the bed. “Would come with me for a moment?”

“Sure.” She said with a smile.

You scoop her up and walk into the bathroom and close the door. Then lock it. She stares down at the water and digs her nails into your shoulders.

“No.” She says.

“You need a bath.” You reason.

“NO!” she cries and buries her face in your neck. “I don’t want to drowned.”

“Nepeta…” You say softly. “I assure you it’s not deep enough for you to drown. As well as the fact I would be very sad if you did.”

“I’m going to freeze to death.” She sobs.

“Nepeta, I would not make you take a bath in freezing cold water.” You say. “Would you make your Moirail sit in ice water to take a bath? No, because that is mean.”

            “You purromise?”

            “Yes.”

You manage to convince her the water will not kill her. She is surprised that the water is not cold as ice and she spends a good chuck of time swishing the water around in the tub. The suds start to disintegrate so you have to work quickly. You help her into the tub and let her splash a little while you prepare the soap.

You pick up the cup and dip it into the water.

“Lean your head back. I am going to dampen your hair so I can wash it.” You say.

She hesitates, but leans her head back for you. You place one hand at the edge of her hairline to prevent the water from getting into her eyes. You pour water onto her hair a few times before you remove your hand to grab the bottle of 2-1 shampoo and conditioner. You squeeze a quarter-sized dollop into your hand before you gently massage the goo into her hair. You are careful about her horns. Trolls rarely like their horns touched.

The suds turn a murky color in her hair. Jade had given her a sponge bath when Nepeta first started to trust you and your staff. You guess no one really had the time to focus on her hair. While you are scrubbing her head you dare a glance down at the water. It is not to bad, but you might have to change it soon.

You grab the cup again and begin to rinse the soap from her hair. Once you have gotten the soap completely out of her hair you back away.

“I am going to need to drain the water.” You say. “Then I am going to fill it back up and I want you to soak for a while. You can stay in the tub while I do.”

            “Ok.” She says unsure.

            You scoot over to the other end of the tub and pull out the plug. Nepeta starts giggling as the water goes down the drain.

            “It tickles.” She says with a smile.

            “I told you it wouldn’t be the death of you.” You smile back.

            You begin to refill the tub with fresh water.

            “Tell me if the water is to hot.” You say with your hand under the stream of water coming out of the faucet.

             She says nothing. You look at her; she is splashing the shallow water with her hands. You are glad the water amuses her. You add more soap to the water to create more bubbles. She is now giggling and tossing the bubbles in the air and watching them float down. You wonder how she will react to snow.

            You leave her to soak in the water. You promise to stay within earshot of her just in case. You spent five minutes continuing to search for a therapist who wasn’t secretly an axe murderer.

You can hear Nepeta splashing happily. You doubt she ever got to play in a tub. You pause from your searching and remember when you were a child. You and Horuss would have to share a bath every so often. You vaguely remember your mother running her fingers through your hair as you played in the water. Your main goal was to hit your brother with the water

You barely had any memories of your mother. She disappeared when you were almost six years old. Your father never told you if she simply ran off or… worse. You can never be sure, what with your father’s position. In all likelyhood your mother could have done something to offend the baked goods baroness. You have no real way of knowing.

“Equius.” Nepeta snaps you out of your stupor.

“Yes?” You call back.

“The water’s getting cold.” She whines.

“I’m coming.” You say putting your computer down on the bed.

You pad back into the bathroom and kneel by the taps. You stick your hand in the water to test it. It is rather chilly. You turn the hot water tap on. Who are you to deny a child a bath? Most adults have to drag their kid kicking and screaming into the bath.

“We might have to get you some bath toys.” You say.

“They make toys that go in the tub?” She asks.

“Yes, specifically for the tub.” You say. “We might as well get you a few other types of toys as well. I am afraid we don’t have much for you to play with.”

“That is so cool.” She says.

“Well, when you are done in the bath and we dry you off, we can look for some toys for you on my computer.” You laugh.

“Really?”

“Really.”

She sits in the tub for only five more minutes before she demands to be dried off. You hold a towel out in front of her and wait for her to walk into it. You wrap it around her and pat the water off her. You kneel down and bring the towel over her head. She flinches out of instinct. Troll horns could be used against them in a fight. Nepeta was lucky to have horns that made it hard to grip, but she still does not like the odd pressure of your hands. You carefully pat her head.

“Would you prefer to do this yourself? You ask.

“No.” She says softly. “I trust you.”

You don’t want to risk scaring her with the hair dryer so you leave her hair damp. You reach for the pile of clothes you placed on the toilet. You help her with her clothes and take her hand. You lead her back into your room and help her up onto the bed. You let her loose on Amazon and let her pick out a set of bath toys and a few dolls. She also falls in love with a stuffed cat that looks annoyed. You have no choice but to click add to cart.


	8. The search continues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (( In my infinite grace and splendor I spilled water on my computer... This has delayed me quite a bit... I am so sorry.... I had to rewrite the entire chapter and half of the next chapter.... Please forgive the shortness of this chapter))

You bring Nepeta to work with you. Leaving her at your home alone was not an option and you know for a fact that Ms. Megido is not working today. Also you doubt your father would keep her under his employ if she kept disappearing to troll sit. It was just easier to have her sit in your office and color.

Plus, it gave her peace of mind, if she was at the office with you. That way she can keep your coat hostage and know you will have to return for it and her.

You had rose early like you normally did to get dressed and make your lunch. You make your usual salad, not from a bag, and a bologna sandwich for Nepeta. You let Nepeta sleep until ten minutes before you have to leave.  You help her pack a bag so she can entertain herself in your office and then get her dressed.

You have a fully schedule ahead of you, and your brother is going to show up with Meulin. You tie your hair back and look over the charts of your first patient. Thankfully it is just a normal check up for a rabbit. You breeze through each check up and keep yourself professional when your brother showed up. As tempting as strangling him still was. He had gone back to his overly chipper disposition that made you nervous.

You find yourself with a few moments free time and grab a coffee. You feel drained for some reason. Maybe it’s the sense of dread looming over you about trying to find someone who is qualified to help your girl. Who are we kidding… Of course it is. Finding a therapist is hard enough as it is, try having to find one for a troll. Only crack pots think their troll needs therapy. Looks like you have joined their ranks.

You know that the person who you select would have to be even tempered enough to handle a troll who did not trust easily. They would need to take the time to just talk with her at first. Someone who you could trust yourself.

Jade walks into the room and sees your grim expression.

“Is something the matter?” She asks.

“I have a lot rolling around in my mind.” You say. “I have been trying to find someone who can council Nepeta about her…. Traumatic past… Someone who would be willing to work with a troll, and not take my money and run. You only hear about people seeking therapy for their pets on those silly cable shows.”

“Oh….” She says. “i… uh…”

“Yes?” You ask her with a raised brow.

“Well…. I have a friend who has a degree in psychology…” Jade says with a nervous smile. “She might be willing to help Nepeta. I mean, she doesn’t have an office or anything yet… she just recently moved in the area and…”

“As long as she is willing to talk, I’d consider her.” You say, hiding your excitement.

You don’t often say it, but you respect Jade Harley a great deal. She is a wonderful judge of character. If Jade Harley trusts someone, it is for good reason.

“Oh, great.” She says happily. “I’ll get her work number for you. I should have it by tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh, You’re welcome.” Jade says. “Poor girl deserves good mental health.”


	9. Help Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took so long. My brain exploded

Rose Lalonde sits in her overstuffed chair across from you and Nepeta. Nepeta has her face burried into your side. Rose is amused by this display sweet display.

"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice." You say clearing your throat.

"There is no need Mr. Zahhak. I assume for the first few sessions our little friend here is going to be very scilent until trust is built." Rose chuckles.

"That is a safe assesment."

"I wanna go home." Nepeta whimpers into your side.

"Bare with me for a little while longer." Rose says softly. "I mean no harm, I just want to talk. To, get to know you if you will. What are somethings you enjoy to do in your free time Nepeta?"

You gently nudge Nepeta. She looks up at you and you smile at her. She looks over at the blond woman and grips your shirt tighter.

"Draw." She offers weakly.

"What kinds of things do you like to draw?"

"Good things."

"What constitues good things?"

"What's constitutes?" Nepeta furrows her tiny brows.

"What do you consider good things? For example, do you like to draw flowers?" Rose asks.

"Equius and playing... Sometimes I draw Ms. Aradia."

"Who is Aradia?"

"She is a maid who works in my fathers estate. She watches Nepeta every once in a while." You say.

"She is really nice. She colors with me, and plays hide and seek. I am the best finder. I can smell people from a mile away!" Nepeta brightens up.

Rose makes a note of this sudden change in demenor.

"What else do you like to draw?"

"the nice animals at the office. Mostly the kitties."

"So you like cats?"

"Yes."

"I have a fondness for them myself."

"Really?" Nepeta asks wide eyed.

"Yes. I used to have one in my youth. He would often assist me by playing my first paitent." Rose says. "What other things do you like to draw?"

"Um... The furrocious huntress! She is my... my ansector. The scary woman would tell me I wasn't living up to her leg hassy. That I was a disapointment and..." Nepeta buries her face in your side again.

She starts shaking against you and you feel a wet spot growing were her face is pressed. She is crying. You place a hand on her back and rub up and down. You make reasuring shushing nosies. Rose leans towards you with a box of tissues. You take it from her and rest it on your knee for when Nepeta calms down a little. You are suddenly filled with the urge to hunt down this "scary lady" and show her what scary really is.

"I'm sorry." Nepeta whimpers after a few minetes of crying.

"It is ok." You say with a soft smile.

You pull one of the tissues out of the box and hold it over her nose.

"Blow." You say.

She huffs into the tissue and you pull out another to wipe away her olive tears. Rose jots down a few notes. Nepeta climbs onto your lap and curls into a ball. Rose looks away and covers her mouth to supress a chuckle. She has lost to the cute.

"Perhaps we should call it a day. Someone seems to have reached her emotinal limit for the day. It was nice meeting you both. I shall see you again next week. Same time."

You give her a thankful smile. You scoop up your tiny troll and carry her out of the house and into your car.


End file.
